The Technical Coordinator of PIAC, Isaac Dwamena
The Technical Coordinator of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), Isaac Dwamena, has stated that while global efforts toward clean energy continue to gain momentum, fossil fuels remain a critical component of the global energy mix for the foreseeable future.
According to him, despite significant strides in the development of clean fuels and renewable energy sources, a full transition from oil and gas remains a long-term goal due to ongoing dependence on fossil fuels to power key sectors.
Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb Business, Dwamena noted that some technologies and industries still rely heavily on oil and gas, making an immediate transition difficult.
“Efforts are being made toward clean fuels, clean energy, and all that. This is the global drive. But trust me, the push toward clean energy and alternatives like clean oil is something that lies in the distant future. There are still systems powered by fossil fuels, oil and gas, that are very difficult to switch to other forms of energy. So even though there is momentum, fossil fuels will remain with us for quite some time,” he explained.
Dwamena further emphasised that resource-rich countries should leverage oil revenues to diversify their economies.
Citing the United Arab Emirates as an example, he said Dubai has successfully transformed its tourism sector to generate more revenue than its oil industry.
“Some countries endowed with natural resources can use that advantage to build other sectors of the economy and reduce reliance on oil and gas. Take the Middle East, for instance, look at the United Arab Emirates. They have massively developed their tourism sector, and people now travel to Dubai for all kinds of reasons. According to statistics, tourism now brings in more revenue for the government than oil and gas,” he added.
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